Well drilling apparatus



March 7, 1933. l T, G. TAYLOR WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 24. 1931 35 parts,

Patented Mar. 7, 1933 PATENT ori-"lice THOMAS @TAYLOR or noswELL, NEW ivi-Exloo i WELL DRILLING ArPARA'rUs,

Application led November 24, 1931.- Serial No. 577,075.'

vThis invention relates to improvements in deep well drilling apparatus and particularly to means for keeping the drilling bit cool and to means for holding certain holding and supporting elements from rotating during the rotation of the drilling Vbit'. 5

A further Objectis to provide means for maintaining suitable pressure within the well at all times to prevent Vcaving ofthe walls of l@ the well. l

A still further object is to provide means for supplying drilling fluid to the well dur'- ing'drillingand to use this fluid in carrying off someA of the heat of thev bit caused by the 15 drilling.

And `another object is to-provide mecliaf 1 nisrn which will require less power in its operation, will insure drilling a straighterhole and which will be less expensive Vinoperation 20 than with well drilling machines as heretofore built, fl Further general objects and advantages e will become apparent from the description which proceeds.

'25 The invention is designed asian; improvenient over the machines shownin my co-pend- 'ing applications Serial No. 37 8,595, liled July Y 1929, for self. cooling anddrilling bit, and

' Serial No. 500,588, tiled December 6,1930 for '30 apparatus for holding rotary drilling power units iin a well against rotation. j

Referring to the accompanying drawing which is made a partv hereofand on' which similar reference characters indicate similar Figure apparatus positionedtherein.l

Y Figure 2, a View of the upper :y i- 45 drillingrbit and associated elements, and

Figure 1, 'a section-on line l4-1 ofFigure 2, showing somey features of the holding elements.

In the drawing numerall() indicates; out- 50 line a large outer casing element .which ispo- 1 is a view in elevation of the upper e casing elements of a well showing. some of my y Y flexible ycable 21, drilling api 40 yparatus showing-the motorv for rotating the A the tools.

sitioned in a well hole is dug to a coii- .Y

`siderable depth, in some cases to approximately 150 feet. The hole in which this casing isset may be drilled with the-usual equipment for drilling a relatively large hole to-` this depth. lA' hole of reduced size-isthen drilled somewhat deeper and a smaller casing-12 is seated within this-reduced lhole and rests on .a shoulder formed around the .wall of the well. .Threadedon the .casing 12 is'A f a coupling 13 to which is attached a casing 11 which extends to the top of the well. The

coupling 13 is boredto-receivepipes 14 and 15. Thepipe 11 is attached to the discharge side of a slush `pump 16 andthe pipe 15 dis-` charges into l a slush pit, not shown. Inthe pipe 15, preferablyadjacentvk itsoutlet is a back pressure valve 17, the purpose of which is to maintain a desiredyhigl'i` pressure within the well. Withinthe lower end of the casing- 11 is placed a gate valve 18 whichmay be operated from the surface ofthe groundr in any suitable way as by a rod, cable or other means 19. When the drilling assembly is in the well and ,operating thegate valve18 ,will.v of coursebe open. It is closedjafter the 4vtools are raised out of the casing 12 and ,beforea high pressure stuffing boX 2Ol closing the upper end of the casing 11-is opened. Alhepurpose of thel gate valve is to maintain thefhighi. pressure-inl the well when the stuffing-box 20 is opened, for it isnecessaryto keep the high drilling and when the tools are withdrawn,

Onepurpose of the vpressurebeing to prevent Y.

caving of the well. The drilling tools aresuspended froma This wings 2 8 haviiig. v serratededged .gripping elementsf211 connected Vthereto by a dovetailed` connection, this connection permitting the drilling bittodescend intol the well hole the well is deepened.L The wingsare. the well bypisf as moved against the ysides lof tons`25 attached by C OrnlCting rods 26 to ythe wings, the wings being hinged at 27. The pistons are moved radially outwardly by pressure fluid delivered v a,f ,fai iist their iii-.;

pressure inthe well at all. times, both while whichis attached to eye f 22 in the upper part of the holding means for holding means has hinged ner ends in chamber 28. Pressure fluid is delivered to this chamber from pipe 29 and flexible hose 30 to Which it is supplied by a pump at the surface of the Well, not shown. The pipe 29 is secured by T-connections 31 through which pressure fluid is delivered to the chamber 28. The rmotor '33 is suspended by the holding `elements just deeribed. urrent is supplied to the motor from electric cables 34 connected to suitable source of current at the surface of the Well. A rotor shaft 35 of the motor is journaled in suitable bearings 36 and 37 secured in vthe motor casing, a thrust bea-ring 38 lbeing provided near the lower end of the shaft. A suitable bushing 39is provided around the sha'tt 35 to prevent leakage of :foreign matter into the motor casing. The shazlt 35 is connected lby means of 'collar 40 with 'the stock 41 of the drilling` .bit which carries idrilling cones 42.. The stock 41 which supports the drilling instrumentalities is rotatfably supported on'a swivel connection 67.

A mud circulating pump '4'3 is operated by the shaft 35 las Will noW be explained. The pump 'here `sliovvn isa ycentrifugal pump secured on the shaft 44. "The upper end of thisshaft carries a 'gear 45 which meshes Wit-h gears 4'6 carried on shafts 47 mounted in the 'collar '40. The upper ends of the 'shafts '47 `carry gea-rs 48 which mesh with gears 49 'mounted onor made integral with a stationfaiy nipple y50. ARotation ofithe shaft 135 Will rotate the 'drill-ing loit and at the saine time Wi-'ll rotate the centrifugal pump 43 in the opposite direction at a lspeed dependent on the relative sizes of "the gears 45, 46, 48 and 49.

The drilling u-nitconsists of a number fof `sections 5l, 52,' 53, and 54 held together by joints v55. Within 4oneot the sections is provided Ya cuttings chamber 156. This chamber isvcflosed at its levier-end by 4a removable plug -57 by the re'iiiov'al of which the vvel'l cut- V'tinge may be taken out trom time to time. 'The cuttings chamber is held 'by guides l58 'and 65 through Which there are axial passages to permit jcirculation of the lli-iidin the Well. Above the cuttings chamber is a classiglier 59 having a depending edge yfor direc`tmg cuttings dovvn into the chamber 56. The

vupper si'deof the classi'iie'r is cone shaped Vand l has a number -o'f inverted 'screens 60 positioned '-therein. l' rvdifferent sizes, the largest being insides@ as to screen lout the coarsest cuttings first. yThese screens screen lout all remaining 'cuttings and cause them lto fall into the cuttings chamber. From the cuttings classifier the drilling fluid passes through an 'opening 61 into the suctionA of the centrifugal pump by which it is expelled out through openings 62 into 'the Well hole.

In 'thepipe v29 is placed a back pressure valve'63 the purpose of Which is to prevent These screens are made 'of' excessive pressure in pipe 29 and yet make it possible to maintain a desired pressure in the holding elements. The pressure in the pipes 29 and 30 is independent of the pressure in the vvell itself. The holding elements may therefore be operative When other elements Iare released. ISecured at the lower *end ofthe pipe 29, below the back pressure valve 63 is a pipe 64. This extends dovvn into the Well so as to carry the cooling fluid adjacent the "drilling parts to cool them and Vthus-avoid the necessity of an auxiliary cooling system.

ln operation pressure fluid is supplied through flexible hose .30 and pipe 29 to the chamber '28. This holds the Wings in engagement with 'the Walls *off the Well vrand "holds the supporting parts of the Imotor so that it can rotate the drill. .'During operation drilling fluid Ais supplied bythe vslush pump 16 through Tline 14 fand thru 'the coupling H13* into l the v(casi'nfji `12. This insures ample drilling fluid in the Well at `Iall times as Well as maintaining the necessary pressure in the Well. Pressure is also supplied to the Well from the pipes 29'and 64. Drilling fluid is circulated in the vv'ell by the pump 43'and rises "to the Ptop of the Well. This results 1in carrying oli heat generated 'by t'he drilling. Then the hole has been dug a small depth, usually about ten feet, the 'tools are removed, the cuttings are talre'njfrofm the lc'haiiiber 56 and the core r'eiiioved.V Tn removing the tools, the vstu-lling 130x120 remains closed unftil the tools have been raised `'above the gate 18. This gate is then closed to hold 'the ipressure ijn the Well 'while the starting box '20 is removed to permit Withdrawal V'of the to'o'l's. W hen the tools are returned to the vve'll theV sti-ilii'ng box2() is l'first closed y"and then the Vgate 18 is'opened.

it lshould be apparent that by 'the ii'i'e'ch'ad jnisni ldescribed Well drilling is much V`more easily accomplished than Wien a lonfg'rand heavy 'stringof toolsis used.

In order to insure Aproper roperation the -imotor casing may be filled With suitable oil andthe chamber -at 6:6 ina'y fbe' packed with grease. This 'grease will also serve the Vpurpose of keeping objectionable foreign Vmatter out *of bearings.

It Will loe-obvious to thos'e skilled in the fart that various changes may be nifafde device Without 'departing fi'fom the spirit of the invention andtheretore -I'do not limit myself' to what is sliovvi'i in *the drawing yand' de scribed in the specification, but only as indicated'by the appended claims. Y

Having `thus fully. described my said 1nventi'on,"what I claim las nfeiv'and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. ln a Well -ldrillin'g apparatus having a rotary drilling bit and a motor for rotating it, means for holding the motor support fromv rotatiiigto 4perm-it rdtation iozt the-bit, means ror supplying and maintaining pressure in the Well, said means serving also to operate said motor holding means.

2. In a Well drilling apparatus having a rotary drilling bit and a motor for rotating it, means for holding the motor support from rotation during rotation of' the said bit,

means for supplying pressure fluid to the said Well, said pressure fluid being delivered adjacent to said bit to assist in cooling it, a part of said pressure iuid being applied to the said holding means to operate it.

3. In Well drilling apparatus having a rotary drilling bit and a motor for rotating it, a support for said motor, means for holding said support from rotating with said bit,k

said means comprising Wings movable to engage the Walls of the Well, pressure fluid means for operating said Wings, said pressure fiuid being also delivered into the Well t0 maintain a desired high pressure therein and to assist in cooling the drilling bit.

4l. In a Well drilling apparatus of the kind described, a drilling bit, a motor for rotating it, va support for said motor, a motor shaft, a drilling fluid circulating pump, said drilling bit and said pump being both operated by said shaft, means for maintaining a supply of drilling fluid in said Well and means for supplying additional fluid under pressure to said Well to compensate for losses due to leakage, the said additional pressure means serving also to operate the motor supporting means to prevent rotation of the said motor.

In testimony whereof, I aiiiX my signature.

THOMAS Gr. TAYLOR. 

